MAKURDI, Benue State – In a heart-pounding victory for the Nigerian military, elite troops of the Joint Task Force Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS) have successfully snatched two Unity Bank staff members from the jaws of death. The high-octane rescue operation, fueled by “gold-standard” intelligence, culminated in a dramatic showdown in the dense forests of neighbouring Taraba State on Friday, March 6, 2026.
The Great Escape
The victims, identified as Mr. Marwan Abubakar (40) and Mr. Leng’en Cakop (37), had been living a nightmare since their abduction from Zaki-Biam, the volatile yam-trading hub of Benue State. For days, the bank officials were held captive as their families waited in agonizing suspense.
But the terrorists’ luck ran out when the military’s intelligence net tightened. Following a lead that pointed directly to Gborgbor Village in Wukari LGA, Taraba, the troops launched a lightning-fast “search and destroy” mission.
The Jungle Stand-Off
The operation reached a fever pitch when soldiers moved in to surround the suspected hideout. Sensing the approaching fire-power of the Nigerian Army, the cowardly kidnappers chose to abandon their “human loot” and melt into the thick vegetation of Tse Anaka Village.
“Our troops moved with surgical precision,” a military source revealed. “When the reinforcements hit the perimeter, the bandits realized their time was up. They fled, leaving behind the victims and a motorcycle they had used for their criminal movements.”
A Commander’s Pride
Major General Moses Gara, the Force Commander of OPWS, hailed his men as the “shield of the region.” This latest victory adds to a staggering record of success for the Task Force, which has neutralized 124 criminals and liberated over 650 hostages across the Benue-Taraba-Nasarawa axis in just one year.
The Road to Recovery
The two bank staff, visibly shaken but miraculously alive, have been evacuated for medical evaluation and debriefing. While the forest remains a “red zone,” the military has sent a thunderous message to the kidnapping syndicates:Â There is no hole deep enough to hide from the Nigerian Army.
As the rescued men reunite with their tearful families in Benue, the hunt for the fleeing terrorists continues across the state border.
